RAF EQUITATION TEAM WINS FIRST LEG OF THE INTER-SERVICES

The RAF Equitation team started their 2010 campaign in the same style as they finished 2009 by winning the one day event in Apr. The Inter-Services Championship comprises of three competitions hosted by each Service in turn throughout the year. Points are accumulated from each competition towards the overall championship which is sponsored by The Worshipful Company of Loriners.

The Army hosted the opening competition with a one day event (dressage, showjumping and x-country) at the Defence Animal Centre (DAC), Melton Mowbray. The team consisted of Wg Cdr Jane Austin, Flt Lt Carrie Moore, Cpl Sarah Marshall and SAC Mel Stoner; with Flt Lt Caitlin Wroe competing as an individual with two of her horses. Given the extremely inclement British weather in the run up to the event, it was touch and go as to whether the x-country phase would go ahead. The DAC is sited on a hill and is very open to the elements – luckily the wind played a major part in drying out the ground and the decision to continue with the x-country was made. The ground could not have been better, very springy and the only fence that gave cause for concern because of soggy ground was removed from the course. Everyone appeared to do good dressage tests, although the scores of the tests were not released until after the results had been announced; so pressure was on for good show jumping rounds. However, the show jumping course was very technical and quite twisty causing problems across the board with very few achieving clear rounds from any of the Services. In the last phase, despite a few ‘rider frighteners’ the x-country course rode very well, although the optimum time was fast and most riders were awarded time penalties for exceeding it. Consequently, the results were very close but the RAF team came out on top with SAC Stoner taking individual third.